Elected officials on Monday moved forward with property tax incentives for a regional meat distributor whose owners intend to construct a new facility and relocate operations across state lines to Wyandotte County. Mies Family Foods, which specializes in wholesale distribution of beef, pork, and poultry, plans to shift its headquarters and local operations from North Kansas City to Kansas City, Kansas. The proposed agreement, endorsed by a committee of the Unified Government on Monday, outlines a gradual property tax reduction spanning 10 years.
Todd Fender, Chief Financial Officer of Mies Family Foods, informed the committee that the family-owned business has outgrown its current facility. The new site, situated in an industrial park on Speaker Road in the 6000 block, will boast approximately 78,000 square feet of space—more than three times the size of its current warehouse. The relocation will bring along all 37 existing employees, with plans to add an additional 15 jobs within the next three years. According to documents submitted to the Unified Government, the median annual salary for these positions stands at $58,000.
In addition to the property tax incentives, the committee also greenlit up to $17.5 million in industrial revenue bonds for Mies Family Foods. These bonds are designed to reduce taxes on construction and material costs. Kevin Wempe, a legal representative for the Unified Government, indicated that the aggregate property tax abatement amounts to approximately 50% of the taxes that would have been paid over the facility’s lifespan. A cost-benefit analysis conducted as part of the proposal estimated the total value of the abatement at around $1.2 million. However, it also projected a net community benefit of approximately $8.4 million generated through taxes and fees over the same period.
Paul Mies, one of the company’s owners whose parents founded the business, shared with the committee the humble beginnings of Mies Family Foods, which started from their home in Bonner Springs. Over time, the business moved to a warehouse in Armourdale before its current location in North Kansas City. Mies expressed the family’s continued affinity for Wyandotte County, stating, “We never didn’t enjoy working in Wyandotte County. It’s just that an opportunity presented itself over there, we’re in the market, and this piece of property works.”
The Economic Development and Finance Committee endorsed the tax incentive package with a 5-1 vote. However, final approval rests with the commissioners of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.
However, the proposal to grant property tax incentives and industrial revenue bonds to Mies Family Foods marks a significant development for the local economy. By facilitating the relocation and expansion of this longstanding family-owned business, officials hope to stimulate economic growth, create new job opportunities, and generate substantial tax revenues for the community over the coming decade.
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